New-build snagging checklist: room by room

Before you start: timing and kit

Snag before your furniture arrives if you possibly can. An empty house is faster to inspect, and — more importantly — cosmetic damage like chips, scratches and cracked glass often has to be reported within about 7 days of completion, before the builder can blame it on your removals company. If you're reading this ahead of your move, see our guide to how the snagging process works for the full set of deadlines.

Allow a couple of hours, work one room at a time, and do a second pass after dark — a torch beam raked along a wall reveals dents and plaster flaws that daylight hides. Bring:

Your phone — for photos of every single snag A torch — raking light across walls shows up dents and paint flaws A spirit level (or a level app) — for worktops, sills and shelves A marble or small ball — rolls to the low spot on sloping floors A socket tester — a few pounds, checks every socket is wired safely Masking tape or sticky notes — mark each snag as you find it A phone charger — the quickest test of every socket's grip and power Blue kitchen roll — wipe surfaces to tell dust from scratches

Checks for every room

Run these in each room before moving on to the room-specific checks. Doors, walls, sockets and finishes are where the bulk of snags live.

✓ Doors open, close and latch smoothly, without scraping the frame or floor
✓ Door handles and hinges are secure, aligned and free of paint splashes
✓ Windows open, close, lock, and haven't been painted shut — check for scratched glass
✓ Walls and ceilings are flat, with no cracks, trowel marks, dents or paint runs
✓ Paintwork is even, with clean cut-in lines and no missed patches or overspray
✓ Skirting boards and architraves are filled, caulked and free of gaps
✓ Sockets and switches are level, secure, and actually work
✓ Radiators are level and secure, and heat up evenly with no cold spots
✓ Flooring is level and undamaged — no scratches, chips, lumps or lifting edges
✓ Light fittings work, and ceiling roses and downlights sit flush

Room-by-room checks

Then add these on top, room by room. Kitchens and bathrooms carry the most plumbing and fitted work, so give them the most time.

Kitchen

✓ Cabinet doors and drawers align, open smoothly and close flush
✓ Worktops are level, sealed at the wall, and free of scratches and chips
✓ Sink is sealed all round, drains fast, and the taps run hot and cold correctly
✓ Every appliance runs a full test cycle — oven, hob, extractor, dishwasher, washing machine
✓ Extractor actually vents (hold a sheet of kitchen roll to it)
✓ Kickboards are fitted, clipped and undamaged
✓ Tiling and splashbacks are even, with consistent grout lines and no cracked tiles
✓ Under-sink plumbing is dry — run the taps, then check with a dry hand

Bathrooms & en-suites

✓ Bath, basin and shower tray are free of chips and scratches — check before running water
✓ Sealant around bath, shower and basin is neat, continuous and mould-free
✓ Shower screen is secure, glass unscratched, door closing cleanly
✓ Toilet flushes properly and refills quietly, and the seat is secure
✓ Taps run hot and cold the right way round, without hammering pipes
✓ Water drains fast from bath, basin and shower — slow drains mean debris in the trap
✓ Tiles are flat and evenly spaced with no cracked or hollow-sounding tiles
✓ Extractor fan runs and vents, and cuts off correctly after you leave

Living room & bedrooms

✓ Walls are flat in raking light — shine your torch along each wall after dark
✓ Carpet is stretched tight with no ripples, and door thresholds are secure
✓ TV, phone and network points are live, not just blanked-off plates
✓ Built-in wardrobes: doors align, rails secure, interiors finished and painted
✓ Window sills are level and unmarked, with clean sealant lines
✓ Curtain poles or blinds (if included) are level and firmly fixed

Hall, stairs & landing

✓ Banisters and spindles are secure — none loose, cracked or unpainted
✓ Stairs don't creak, and treads are level and evenly spaced
✓ Front door closes and locks smoothly, and the letterbox flap works
✓ Doorbell works, and the smoke alarms all test correctly
✓ Loft hatch opens, closes and sits flush — look inside for debris and missing insulation
✓ Consumer unit is labelled so you know which circuit is which

Outside & garden

✓ Brickwork is clean and even, with consistent mortar joints and no cracked bricks
✓ Roof tiles are all present and sitting flat — check from across the street
✓ Gutters and downpipes are aligned, connected and leaf-free — check during rain if you can
✓ Paths, patio and driveway are level, with no trip hazards, cracks or staining
✓ Fences and gates are secure, gates latch, and boundaries match your plan
✓ Turf is level and alive, and the garden drains rather than ponds after rain
✓ External taps and lights work, and airbricks aren't blocked by soil or paving
✓ Garage door opens and closes smoothly, and the garage roof is watertight

What to do with everything you find

A checklist only helps if the results end up somewhere the builder can't argue with. For every snag, record the room, a short description and a clear photo — then send the builder one itemised, dated document rather than a trickle of texts and doorstep conversations. Under the New Homes Quality Code, developers are expected to resolve reported snags within around 30 calendar days.

Keep the list alive afterwards: tick off what's fixed, chase what isn't, and add new defects as they appear across your two-year builder period. Our guide to managing a snag list covers how to keep that process painless — or SnagBoss can do the structure, photos and professional PDF for you.

Common questions

How many snags is normal for a new build? +

Industry research puts the average new build at dozens of defects, and professional inspectors regularly find 100 or more. The Home Builders Federation's own survey found 93.7% of new-build buyers reported problems to their builder. If your list looks long, that's normal — it doesn't mean you bought a bad house, it means you looked properly.

When should I run through this checklist? +

Three times, ideally: at your pre-completion inspection if you can get one, again in the first few days after completion (before your boxes come in — cosmetic damage often has to be reported within about 7 days), and once more a few months in, when settlement cracks and seasonal issues have had a chance to appear.

What doesn't count as a snag? +

Builders work to tolerances — for example, minor shrinkage cracks (typically hairline, under about 2mm) are considered normal settling rather than defects, and slight variations in natural materials are expected. Damage caused after you moved in is yours, which is exactly why photographing everything in the first days matters.

Do I need a professional snagging inspector as well? +

A professional survey (typically £300–£600) adds a trained eye and technical checks — many buyers get one if the budget allows. But most snags are visible to anyone who looks methodically, and new defects keep appearing for months after any inspector has gone. Either way you need your own running list for the full two-year builder period.

The new-build snagging checklist — room by room